The Man from the Alamo

1953 "Out Of Texas' Bravest Hour... Came The Man They Called The Coward"
The Man from the Alamo
6.4| 1h19m| NR| en| More Info
Released: 07 August 1953 Released
Producted By: Universal International Pictures
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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Synopsis

During the war for Texas independence, one man leaves the Alamo before the end (chosen by lot to help others' families) but is too late to accomplish his mission, and is branded a coward. Since he cannot now expose a gang of turncoats, he infiltrates them instead. Can he save a wagon train of refugees from Wade's Guerillas?

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weezeralfalfa Glen Ford, as Texan settler John Stroud, finds himself threatened with death by 3 opposing groups during the fight for Texas independence from Mexico, his only apparent friend an orphan Mexican boy: the only survivor of a raid by American renegades dressed as Mexicans, who killed Stroud's family and burned his house. Stroud was one of the American defenders holed up inside the crumbling Alamo mission, being used as a fort, until he drew the black bean, used to decide who would try to ride through the Mexican lines to lead the families around his farm in a retreat. But he discovered that the renegades had already destroyed everything before he got there. The Mexican boy decides to 'adopt' Stroud as his new father, but when they go to town, the people figure out that he is the man who quit the Alamo, thus he is labeled a notorious coward. His association with the boy further suggests to them a pro-Mexican stance.The screenplay is very tightly constructed, and includes a complex web of ironies, which is one of the main selling point of the film. For example, the renegades unwittingly saved Stroud's life twice 1) the report of their proximity to some settlements caused Stroud to leave the Alamo, thus saving his life 2) Later, the renegades save Stroud from an imminent lynching by the enraged town people. This was an incidental result of their attack on the town, with the goal of robbing the bank and freeing one of their members from jail. Stroud professes his desire to join them, but they don't really trust him. Thus, he engages in several fist fights with them, the last leaving him presumably dead after tumbling down a long rocky slope. But , he is found by searching members of the fleeing townies plus cavalry protectors, and after recovering, he organizes the defense of the seemingly defenseless townies, minus their men, after the cavalry unit receives orders to immediately join Houston at San Jacinto. The women, kids, old men, and Stroud manage to annihilate the renegades, using borrowed cavalry firearms. Thus, Stroud achieves his revenge and resurrects his reputation as a brave and smart man.Chill Wills and the other townies, along with Hugh O'Brian, as commander of the cavalry unit, want to lynch Stroud when he refuses to vacate the region. Ironically, Wills is later pressured by Beth(Julie Adams) into doctoring the unconscious Stroud, after his long tumble, against an overriding sentiment to let Stroud die. Again, ironically, O'Brian's troops soon thereafter are called to abandon the wagon train and join Houston. Initially, O'Brian refuses to obey, but Stroud convinces him that he can lead an effective defense of the wagon train. Thus, the man they wanted to kill a short time before becomes their savior. Stroud effectively rescued the Mexican boy from starvation. but the association of the boy with Stroud increases the perception of Stroud as pro-Mexican, thus increasing the call to lynch him. The boy tries to tell the others why Stroud really left the Alamo, which Stroud inexplicably refuses to do. But, initially, he is disbelieved. Later, the boy saves Stroud's life by leading a search for him after he tumbled down that hill, and insisting that Wills try to revive Stroud. Also, he corroborates Stroud's statement why he left the Alamo, thus diffusing a renewed demand by the fleeing townies to kill Stroud. At the end, the implication is that Stroud, the boy, and Beth will form a new family.The biggest weakness of the screenplay is the extreme reaction of some of the Alamo defenders and of the townspeople to Stroud's leaving the Alamo, and his curious refusal to adequately explain why he did so, until late in the film. Also, Stroud recovered awfully quickly from his long tumble down that hill, and his being found by the boy is unlikely.Ford's character is very loosely based on the disputed historical fact or legend that one man(Moses Rose) chose to leave the Alamo, when given a choice. He said he saw no reason to stay and die in a hopeless defense. Thus, he was labeled a coward. Unlike the portrayal of Houston's attitude toward defending the Alamo, the historic Houston sent Bowie with instructions to remove the cannon and destroy the make-shift fort, as being indefensible! While at the Alamo, Stroud risks his life to reraise the Texas flag on the wall, while under cannon bombardment. The scenes of Mexican cannon bombardment are pretty cheesy.Only some of the firearms are the historically-relevant flint locks. The use of repeating firearms speeds up the gunplay for the audience. Yes, the women reloaded their muskets impossibly fast! Also, an obvious photocopy of President Hayes(1876-80) should have been removed from the jail wall!Several of the renegade actors took impressive body-slamming falls when shot off their horse or their horse was shot. Also, Victor Jory, as the head renegade: Jess Wade, takes quite a plunge down a waterfall. I don't see how this could have been faked. The assumption is that Wade drowned. However, it looks survivable to me, assuming a deep plunge pool.Presently, part of the Classic Western round-up, Vol. 2, DVD set, along with "The Texans", "California" and "The Cimarron Kid"
dbdumonteil This western is the opposite of WAYNE's epic :it demonstrates that the personal is personal -as well as the political;Alamo is a background,since most of the action takes place after the defeat.Glenn Ford portrays a character that strongly recalls that of Richard Widmark in Delmer Daves ' "the last wagon" ;a "deserter" in the former ,an outlaw in the later,they are both rejected by the whole community of a town,then a convoy ;their fiercest enemy is a marshal (caravane) and a lieutenant(Alamo).Both "so called " cowards,pariahs save many lives and thus regain their lost honor;the most moving moment is when Hugh O'Brian asks Ford if he can shake hands with him.A pleasant western ,with a credible figure of a man who has lost all that was his Raison d'être.
bkoganbing Glenn Ford plays the title role in The Man From The Alamo which probably should be better titled The Man Who Left The Alamo. Don't worry, Glenn had good and sufficient cause for doing so.Ford is one of the men who was there at the mission fort at San Antonio De Bexar when word is received of some renegade Texans raiding some of ranches up where Ford and his family have settled. He and three others draw lots to see who goes out of The Alamo to check on their families. Ford gets the short straw and when William B. Travis played by Arthur Space draws his famous line in the sand, Ford is the only one who opts out of the fight.Of course when Ford arrives he finds his and the other families dead at the hands of renegade Victory Jory and his band who are in league with Santa Anna. After that it's a struggle to clear his good name and alert others to the dangers of Jory's band.The Man From The Alamo is a short, but action packed western. Budd Boetticher got good performances out of his cast which besides those mentioned include Julie Adams. Hugh O'Brian, Neville Brand, and Chill Wills who as we all know was in John Wayne's blockbuster film on the same subject.The film is very similar to a lot of the westerns that Boetticher did with Randolph Scott and I wouldn't be surprised if the film wasn't created with Randy in mind originally for the lead. If it was, Glenn Ford was more than adequate in the part.Western fans and other fans will not be disappointed.
funkyfry Glenn Ford plays the only survivor of the Alamo -- not a very popular man in Texas. Of course, the story gives him a good excuse -- he drew lots with some other Alamo soldiers to see who would go west to defend their homes from Texan bandits hired by the Mexicans, but the families were already dead when he gets there -- but nobody wants to believe him, except one lovely woman on the wagon train he sets out to defend. Only problem is his strategy of siding with the bandits to get into their confidence puts him in a nearly impossible situation.A well-made film, with convincing action and gritty characters. Unlike other Boetticher westerns, here the scale of the film is "epic" as the future of the West hangs in the balance. Ford makes a surprisingly good substitute for Randolph Scott or John Wayne.